


Determination

by nyawer92



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mikoto-centric, Multi, Other, Political Expediency, Politics, Protective Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Clan-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28273512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyawer92/pseuds/nyawer92
Summary: It was cruel. How he would have to grow up without his parents. As she glanced at the tuft of blonde hair, so like his late father’s, peeling from the blankets, she realized how much the village and those who knew them would never be the same again.Where Mikoto takes matters into her own hands.Inspired by a headcannon I saw on the internet.
Relationships: Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Haruno Sakura, Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Namikaze Minato/Uzumaki Kushina, Uchiha Fugaku/Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 6
Kudos: 97





	Determination

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone. Just an idea floating in my head resulted in this wonderful ficlet. I'm not sure if I should continue this or leave it here as a stand alone. Let me know what you think.  
> Happy reading!

Every day without realizing, her feet would take her in the direction of the nursery. Every day she would stifle her sobs and grasp her son’s hand tightly as she walked by the limnonym halls of the hospital. Glancing at her son wrapped snuggly in a sling close to her chest, she felt a pang in her heart, as she neared the familiar window and saw the sleeping boy in his cot. 

It was cruel how he would have to grow up without his parents. As she glanced at the tuft of blonde hair, so like his late father’s, peeking from the blankets, she realized how much the village and those who knew them would never be the same again.

Wiping away stray tears, she felt a tug at her hand and looked down to see Itachi, her oldest, glancing at her. Even at age five, he gave off a distinct expression that he knew exactly what was happening around him. Pensive, quiet and always polite, her oldest never gave anyone any trouble. Her youngest, on the other hand, was another matter. 

Just a few months old, Sasuke had developed a nasty habit of waking up the whole house with his bawling in the middle of the night. Always fussing over something. She found it quite funny how he would often stop fussing immediately when his big brother came padding softly to his room, gently pacifying him before she could even reach the nursery and would soon be fast asleep after she fed him.

He would certainly grow attached to his brother, that she was sure of.

Turning to her oldest, she smiled at him, squeezed his hand to let him she was fine, and led him out of the hospital with one final glance at her, now dead best friend’s infant son.  
________________________________________________________________________________

‘It’s cruel’ she exclaimed ‘We have to do something’

Mikoto was sitting at her vanity, straightening up her hair and readying herself for bed. She had broached the subject up with her husband.

‘Of course its cruel, but what choice do we have?’ her husband Fugaku responded, already seated on their shared futon.

He looked tired. The cleanup operation after the recent village attack had put him under a lot of pressure especially since he was newly appointed as Captain of the Uchiha task force.

‘Sandaime-sama already lost his wife and is forced out of retirement, he won’t have time to care for the boy’

‘He’s going to be handed over to one of the orphanages, temporarily. The village council decided that today’ he said quietly, already anticipating his wife’s wrath. ‘Of course it was met with its own fair share of resistance’ he added grimly.

‘All the more reason to step in! If you broach the subject with the Uchiha elders and the Hokage, maybe we can get them to consent to bring Naruto home with us and have him live here’ 

Her idea was met with stunned silence.

‘You do not want to bring that up’ he finally said. ‘I know he is an orphan and your friend’s son but he is also a jinchuriki and this, at its core, is a political matter’

‘So we condemn him to a cruel life? He won’t be safe at that orphanage and by their argument, if the boy loses control of the kyuubi, it’ll only endanger the other civilians.' She explained calmly. ‘They won’t be equipped to handle it. All the more reason for us to raise him. He and Sasuke can grow up together, we have plenty of space within the main house, and it was Kushina’s hope that they become friends. I don’t see why that shouldn’t happen’

‘I know what you’re thinking and I know that you have the boy’s best interest here, but we also have to think of the village’s delicate situation’ he replied gruffly, clearly exasperated. ‘If we take him under our care, the council will see it as a ploy to get a prominent position in leadership. The Sharingan is the only thing that can control the beast, we would only be seen with suspicion more so than we do now!’

She sighed heavily.

‘He’s just a child, an infant. What does he know about political ploys? He doesn’t even know who his parents are. I’m not going to let anyone do that to him. I’ll vouch for his upbringing. I will take on it myself and I intend to bring it up to the elders and the Hokage. This is no longer up for discussion’ 

She said it all with such a determined look in her eye, that Fugaku was left speechless and didn’t argue further. He turned to get in his futon, extinguished the lamp nearby, sighed and conceded.

‘They won’t take kindly to this’ he warned gently.

‘No, but I have to do what I can’ she replied and followed suit. __________________________________________________

Her intentions at the council meeting had predictably caused an uproar. Fugaku’s prediction had come true, the elders were furious and heavily against adopting, ‘the demon boy’ as they called him.

She had to remind them that his name was Naruto and that he was an infant who needed to be taken care of, something civilian orphanages were less equipped to do.

After countless arguments, in which Mikoto wished she had the Sharingan herself so she could us000e the Tsukuyomi on them, they mercifully turned to her husband who backed her while remaining diplomatic. It was one of those times, she truly thanked that gods her parents had chosen a decent man for her, because she could only fight so many clan traditions.  
They had decided to convene a small delegation and invite the Hokage to give his input. 

Mikoto wasn’t invited but she didn’t give in; if the windbags were trying to silence her this was not something she would relent on. So she politely accompanied her husband and found an opening to speak her piece, much to the elder’s dismay.

‘You have raised a few concerns here, Uchiha-san’ the Hokage smiled at her politely when she was done. ‘I too had been pondering on the matter, perhaps to raise the boy myself or place him with my son and wife if they’re willing to take him on, but as you know, I wouldn’t want to force a predicament on anyone’

‘That is why I ask you, Hokage-same, to grant my request. My Sasuke and Naruto-chan are the same age, they would grow close. We have a home for the boys to grow up in and learn the ways of the shinobi and I ask for nothing more than to be granted a way to honor my late friend’s request’ she bowed, blinking away tears that threatened to spill.

‘We, of course have to look at the delicate situation as well. I inspected the seal Minato placed myself, it seems to be intact for now. Other clans might think the Uchiha is favored of course, but if the boy stays out of trouble and the kyuubi remains sealed, then there is no reason not to grant you your earnest wish, Uchiha-san. I’m sure, Kushina would have been happy to hear that too’ he smiled at her and Fugaku.

Mikoto felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

‘I will draw up the papers and Naruto’s custody will be handed over to you in a week. You can then bring him home. He is currently being placed with a family, a temporary arrangement, but he’ll be staying with you once the formalities are done and the process is settled’

‘Thank you Hokage-sama’ Fugaku bowed and Mikoto followed, hoping her deep bow would convey her gratitude.

‘Hokage-sama, the political implications are quite clear. If the Kyuubi breaks free, the villagers would think it to be our fault. We cannot risk further marginalization’ began a council member.

‘You are right to think so and I understand your concerns, but we are talking about a child here, not a weapon. I will call on the main house regularly to monitor the progress personally and have ANBU guards stationed nearby, as a precaution, to see if Naruto isn’t agitated with you. But I don’t think we would have anything else to worry about’

‘But the villager’s perception’ cut in an Uchiha elder

‘Perceptions change, Uchiha-sama and we hope in time, the boy is seen as a beacon of hope of a new generation that carries on the will of fire.’

He bowed and took his leave, leaving Mikoto with a gift she had never thought she had it in her to fight for. In that moment, seeing the elders flail and the smile her husband gave her, the one reserved for her, she knew that this was one fight she would never give up on.


End file.
